Aspirin's Cancer-Fighting Power Discovered by UK Scientists?

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According to a series of studies published Wednesday by "The Lancet," a United Kingdom medical journal, the key to preventing cancer could be sitting in everyone's medicine cabinent, resting between the band-aides and cough syrup. The studies concluded that a daily dose of Aspirin could help prevent cancer. While many take aspirin daily for the prevention heart disease, it appears there may be another life-saving use for that small white pill that is so common in most households.

After five years, trial subjects who had been taking aspirin daily had reduced their risk of cancers like colon cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer by 35 percent, the studies found. However, the Aspirin did not reduce the risk of all cancers, for example, blood cancer risk was not decreased with aspirin consumption.

The studies were conducted by Peter Rothwell and fellow researchers of the University of Oxford and John Radcliffe Hospital. They concluded, "These findings provide the first proof in man that aspirin prevents distant cancer metastasis," the Wall Street Journal reports.

The studies also examined not just cancer prevention, but also how aspirin affected the spread of cancer.

"We have now found that after taking aspirin for three or four years there starts to be a reduction in the number of people with the spread of cancers, so it seems as well as preventing the long-term development of cancers, there is good evidence now that it is preventing the spread of cancers," Rothwell told MSN.

However, doctors and cancer researchers do not recommend that everyone suddenly start gobbling down aspirin with breakfast every morning. Too much aspirin can be hard on the stomach and even cause bleeding or ulcers.

Eric Jacobs of the American Cancer Society recommends talking to a doctor for an individual evaluation before starting to take aspirin daily, MSN reports.